SB 607, the North Carolina Equal Pay Act, prohibits employers from paying employees differently based on gender for work requiring similar skill, effort, and responsibility under comparable conditions. It defines "comparable work" broadly (excluding job titles alone) and allows pay differences only for factors like seniority, merit, geographic location, or job-related education/experience. The bill also bans employers from asking about salary history before making a job offer, protects employees who discuss pay or file complaints from retaliation, and requires employers to post notices about these rights. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, and would allow employees to seek back pay for violations.
This bill requires most North Carolina employers to provide earned paid sick leave to workers. Employees would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, with small businesses (10 or fewer employees) limited to 32 hours annually and other employers to 56 hours. Workers could use this time for their own illness, family medical care, or safety-related needs like domestic violence or sexual assault recovery. The law applies to most private-sector employees but excludes volunteers and certain exempt workers, directly affecting over 1.6 million North Carolinians currently without access to paid sick days.
SB 622 requires North Carolina employers to provide earned paid sick leave, directly affecting over 1.6 million private-sector workers currently without access. Employees earn 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, with small businesses (10 or fewer employees) limited to 32 hours annually and larger employers to 56 hours. Workers can use this time for their own health needs, family care, or addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The law applies to all covered employees except certain exempt workers and volunteers, aiming to ensure workers don’t lose pay for essential health-related absences.
HB 521 would require most North Carolina employers to provide earned paid sick leave to workers. It mandates that employees accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, with limits of 32 hours per year for small businesses (10 or fewer employees) and 56 hours for larger employers. The leave covers the employee's own health needs, care for immediate family members, or situations related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Exemptions include volunteers, certain exempt employees under wage laws, and domestic workers employed in a private residence. The bill directly affects over 1.6 million private-sector workers in North Carolina, particularly low-wage and high-contact industry workers who currently lack access to paid sick days.
HB 973, the Uniform Restrictive Employment Agreement Act, establishes new rules for noncompete, nonsolicitation, and other restrictive employment agreements in North Carolina. It requires employers to provide workers with a written copy of any proposed agreement at least 14 days before signing, clearly state prohibited activities, and give a separate notice as defined by the Department of Labor. The bill directly affects workers and employers by making agreements unenforceable without these specific disclosures and clear terms, covering common restrictions like noncompetes but excluding patent agreements or existing ownership interests. It aims to increase transparency in employment contracts where workers face post-employment work limitations.
HB 568 modifies North Carolina's labor laws primarily to streamline safety inspections and administrative processes. It restricts subpoenas against Department of Labor staff during safety investigations (except in enforcement cases or with written consent), limits public hearings for adopting federal safety standards identical to federal rules, and requires medical examiners to share workplace injury reports with the Labor Commissioner within 30 days. The bill also clarifies that safety inspection documents remain admissible in court without witness testimony unless reliability is in question. These changes affect the Department of Labor, employers, and workers' safety investigators by altering how evidence is handled and shared in workplace safety cases.
